2007年VOA标准英语-India's Government Promises More Inclusive Grow

By Anjana Pasricha
New Delhi
23 May 2007

India's government is promising¹ more inclusive growth as it begins its fourth year in office. As Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi, the pledge follows a series of recent electoral setbacks that have raised fears that the popularity of the Congress Party, which heads the governing coalition², is waning³.

Manmohan Singh (File)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says his government recognizes that high economic growth alone will not necessarily provide employment and reduce poverty.

At a dinner held Tuesday to mark his government's three years in office, he pledged to improve the lives of all Indians by boosting investment in agriculture, and tackling such issues as rising food prices.

"We have taken credible⁴ steps to control inflation, and we will continue to be vigilant⁵ on this front, so that the poor and vulnerable sections of society do not suffer unduly," he said. "In the next 10 days, we will be unveiling a major initiative which will not only enhance the total public investment in agriculture, but will also enable states to resolve problems of agriculture with comprehensive localized plans."

The prime minister's assurances of more inclusive growth followed criticism that the fruits of the country's rapidly rising economy have failed to trickle⁶ down to the poor. This has triggered disillusionment with a party that came to power promising the poor a share in the country's growing prosperity.

Local elections held recently in three states indicate the Congress Party-led coalition is losing support. Uttar Pradesh is India's most populous⁷ and politically significant state, and results there usually indicate which direction the country will take in national elections. In voting there this month, Congress emerged a distant fourth. Earlier, the party suffered electoral losses in Punjab and Uttarakhand.

Political observers say the problem is the most severe in the countryside, where nearly two-thirds of India's billion-plus people depend on farming.

Mahesh Rangarajan, an independent political analyst⁸ in New Delhi, says the government has failed to do enough to turn around the deteriorating⁹ farm sector¹⁰, which he says is in crisis.

"Agriculture now for the first time accounts for less than 19 percent of the gross domestic product.," he said. "The growth has really been in services ... Those who are benefiting are very small in number, and those who are not benefiting are very large in number."

Rangarajan says what is needed is the large-scale production of labor-intensive jobs in both manufacturing and agriculture. This, he says, is where the government has fallen short.

1 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 credible   

adj.可信任的，可靠的

参考例句：

• The news report is hardly credible.这则新闻报道令人难以置信。
• Is there a credible alternative to the nuclear deterrent?是否有可以取代核威慑力量的可靠办法？

5 vigilant   

adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的

参考例句：

• He has to learn how to remain vigilant through these long nights.他得学会如何在这漫长的黑夜里保持警觉。
• The dog kept a vigilant guard over the house.这只狗警醒地守护着这所房屋。

6 trickle   

vi.淌，滴，流出，慢慢移动，逐渐消散

参考例句：

• The stream has thinned down to a mere trickle.这条小河变成细流了。
• The flood of cars has now slowed to a trickle.汹涌的车流现在已经变得稀稀拉拉。

7 populous   

adj.人口稠密的，人口众多的

参考例句：

• London is the most populous area of Britain.伦敦是英国人口最稠密的地区。
• China is the most populous developing country in the world.中国是世界上人口最多的发展中国家。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

10 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。